SCOTLAND MEN SUFFER DEFEAT TO UAE
A Rahul Chopra-inspired UAE bounced back in impressive fashion as they inflicted a heavy 97-run defeat on Scotland.
The UAE had suffered defeats to Scotland and the Netherlands to open the series, but a maiden ODI century from the skipper Chopra led his side to 296-6, a total that proved too much for Scotland.
George Munsey, Finlay McCreath and Richie Berrington all passed 30, but no one was able to kick-on for the Scots, Simranjeet Singh impressing with 4-30 as Scotland were bowled out for 199.
Richie Berrington said: "It's a disappointing result, but a lot of credit has to go to the UAE with the way they batted in that first innings.
"I think at times we bowled really well with not a lot of reward, but credit to them with the way they played and set the innings up to get those runs at the back end, it was a fantastic knock from their captain - it wasn't our best day today, but we've got another opportunity to go again in a couple of days."
Electing to bat first, Aryansh Sharma and Sagar Kalyan made a positive start for the UAE, adding 59 in 11 overs, Sharma in particular looking fluent as he found the boundary with regularity.
Mark Watt, who had been introduced into the attack as early as the eighth over, made the breakthrough, bowling Kalyan (19) past his inside edge as he looked to drive over the offside.
Sharma would reach an excellent 50 from just 49 deliveries, including six boundaries, but he came unstuck against the short ball from Jack Jarvis, pulling straight to Jasper Davidson on the square leg boundary.
Scotland continued to peg the UAE back, Michael Leask dismissing Asif Khan (23) as the batter looked to go big, but could only pick out Charlie Cassell at long-on.
Chopra and Alishan Sharafu added 73 for the fourth wicket, taking their side to 187 in 39 overs, when McMullen removed Sharafu (32) with a beauty that struck off stump.
Chopra would go to his 50 in the following over, from 63 deliveries, taking three consecutive fours from Cassell, as he looked to hit the accelerator.
The UAE skipper, alongside Muhammad Waseem, added 98 in 59 deliveries, Waseem clearing the ropes four times in a brutal 28-ball 41.
He fell to a spectacular catch from Chris Greaves, holding on as the ball dropped over his shoulder, in the penultimate over from the bowling of Cassell.
Chopra went to his first ODI hundred in the final over – his second 50 coming from just 28 deliveries – before departing, caught at the wicket by Matthew Cross off Jasper Davidson, as the UAE finished on 296-6.
In response, Munsey and Charlie Tear got their side off to a solid start in response, adding 69 for the opening wicket – Munsey passing 2000 ODI runs in the process, the fifth Scottish man to that landmark.
Tear (27) fell, bowled by Singh, as he attempted to reverse-sweep, before Scotland also lost Munsey (43) and McMullen (15), as they slid to 96-3.
Berrington and McCreath steadied the ship as they looked to drag their side back into the game, but like Munsey and Tear before them, failed to kick on.
McCreath (33) swept an Aayan Khan delivery straight to Kalyan on the leg-side boundary, and Berrington (32) edged a wide delivery from Muhammad Jawadullah behind to Sharma.
Cross (3), Leask (2) and Watt (0) would all fall cheaply, as Scotland slid from 158-3 to 171-8.
Jarvis (15) and Davidson (11*) showed some late resistance, but Khan would dismiss Jarvis and Cassell (4) as the Scots were bowled out for 199, 97 runs short of their target.